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International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

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321–330 of 402 posts

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#321
post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the US you mean? Eastern Europe isn't entirely free of terrorist activity, assuming that you include Chechnya.

Last time I checked these were local military conflicts and not about murdering innocent civilians around the world.

You might remember that the perpetrators of the Boston Marathon Bombing were Chechen.

I say this not because I think we should screen Chechens more thoroughly now, but because your original appeal to profiling at the border is provably ineffective and, frankly, ignorant.

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We had serious plans to go on holiday to the US this year. I have been in the US at least a dozen of times, and absolutely love the desert states, Oregon, and Washington. Entering the US was already a large hassle, but with Trump's travel bans, rumors of phone, laptop, and social media checks, we have decided to postpone our travel plans until the political/security climate improves. Semi-related: we were in the mark…

The majority of US citizens did not vote for Trump. Just thought I'd point out that most people DO NOT want this president.

And others (such as myself), voted for Trump only because he was the only alternative to Hillary. (Better option than Hillary, but not by much. There were other options of course, but they did not have a chance at winning). I should also specify that I voted for someone else in the primaries.

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#323
post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've entered the US dozens of times. Visa waiver, 6 month visa, multi year visa. Never been asked to show electronics. Never been to a special room. Most of the time they ask one or two questions, take my fingerprints, and welcome me to the country. Now that my passport has a US address in it, even though I'm technically not a resident, they politely say "Welcome Back". Last time I entered was on Monday. The lady was…

Huh, really? My experience was roughly the same, except the border officers were generally acting very serious, and the queue took 1-2 hours. I wish I could enter in 24 minutes. No random searches here either, though, but I haven't been to the US for at least a year.

I find they're nicer when you give them the passport in such a way that they first see your O-1 visa. Covertly letting them know that you're an "exceptional ability alien" right off the bat, sets the relationship off to a good start.

The time when I said "Oh just coming back from vacation" before the lady saw my visa ... well, she was much less nice about it.

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#324

Kind of disheartening to read that (most) of the comments here diverted away from the topic of Basecamp's travel guide, which shows a lot of character from this company. A company composed of a lot of remote workers outside US that definitely goes out of their way to have their employees come into the US for their business meetings is a keeper. On a side note, I am a bit confused on a questionnaire asked at the Custo…

I ran into this a lot while crossing the border into Canada as a consultant, I presume it is similar crossing the border in the other direction.

Internal business meetings did not require a work visa, while meetings with one of our clients did.

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#325
post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Ford Focus sold in Europe is assembled in Germany [1]. The current US border control security climate dates since the Obama Administration. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_of_Europe#Facilities

The money is still going to an american company.

Which is globally owned

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#326
post #20

Just don't travel there. I'm sure I'd be fine: I've been fine a dozen times before. That was before they decided that it was OK to demand passwords and so on. Maybe now it would be worse. Or maybe my skin colour lets me off the hook. Regardless, I'd rather just not waste jet fuel on flying to a place that treats anyone this way. Your phone/tablet/laptop is, for better or worse, a gateway to your entire life. It conta…

> That was before they decided that it was OK to demand passwords and so on.

I understand that it was not decided, that it's just a proposal (a terrible, stupid, terrible proposal — but just a proposal).

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#327
post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US Embassies in the Netherlands explicitely disallow you from bringing most electronics* and they say they are unable to store things for you. https://nl.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/amsterdam/access... *It used to be no electronics, but now you are apparently allowed to bring a mobile phone provided you turn off Bluetooth.

Now I'm curious. Does anyone know why they ask you to switch off Bluetooth specifically (and nothing else)?

in France you have to turn off your phone, then handle it to them. I couldn't turn off mine (it was badly broken xD) so I just took the luminosity to the lowest and they didn't see anything.

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#328
post #80
post #34

This is a political statement highlighting the current legal uncertainty of refusing to unlock your devices at the US border[0]. By default iphones and macs are encrypted when you completely power them down, so the right way (assuming you have a good password) is to shut down your computers at the airport and only turn them back on when you've passed the border. Nothing interesting here tech-wise, effectively just a…

They closed this loophole a couple of years ago, by explicitly demanding that your devices need to be powered on and have enough battery power when entring the country. So powering off your device, putting out the battery or encrypting it is all forbidden.

Do you have any source for your assertion that one is required to have a powered battery when entering the country? On the face of it, that seems absurd.

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#329

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GF traveled to the US for work, a conference in Houston. Everyone that looked Arab of Muslim was 'randomly' picked out of line. Some of the employees had to undress and squat in front of the TSA and one had to undergo cavity searches. These were regular European citizens. Let's just say conferences will be help in Europe or Canada in the future...

Are you serious? Strip and cavity searches? This needs to be on the media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWdD206eSv0&hl=en-GB&gl=GB

Re: International Travel Guide for Basecamp employees

#330

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GF traveled to the US for work, a conference in Houston. Everyone that looked Arab of Muslim was 'randomly' picked out of line. Some of the employees had to undress and squat in front of the TSA and one had to undergo cavity searches. These were regular European citizens. Let's just say conferences will be help in Europe or Canada in the future...

Are you serious? Strip and cavity searches? This needs to be on the media.

Guessing you've never entered England (Or are english yourself)? English customs are way worse than American ones, in my opinion.
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